The invention relates generally to rotary valve actuators, and more particularly to actuators for rotary fuel filler valves and combinations thereof.
Rotary valves having a valve pivotally disposed in a housing are known generally. The referenced U.S. application Ser. No. 09/062,519 entitled "Automotive Fuel Filler Pipe Valve Assembly", for example, discloses an automotive fuel filler pipe rotary valve assembly comprising generally a housing having a valve pivotally disposed in a valve receptacle thereof. The housing disclosed in the referenced U.S. application Ser. No. 09/062,519 may be mounted in an automotive body panel and coupled to a fuel filler pipe extending from an automotive fuel tank. The valve disclosed in the referenced U.S. application Ser. No. 09/062,519 has a passage therethrough and is pivotally actuatable in the housing to open and close access to the automotive fuel filler pipe, which in one preferred embodiment has a flap valve biased to seal the filler pipe. In another embodiment, the valve itself seals the filler pipe without the necessity of the flap valve, as is common with other rotary valves.
The rotary valve assembly disclosed in the referenced U.S. application Ser. No. 09/062,519 is opened and closed automatically by an electric motor that pivots the valve within the housing. In the rotary valve assembly of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/062,519 it is generally desirable to provide an actuator override that permits manually opening and closing the valve without the motor. It is also desirable to provide manual rotary valve actuators in other rotary valves irrespective of the existence of an automatic or motor driven actuator.
The present invention is drawn to actuators for rotary valve assemblies and combinations thereof.
An object of the invention is to provide novel actuators for rotary valves and combinations thereof that overcome problems in the art
Another object of the invention is to provide novel actuators for rotary valves and combinations thereof that are reliable and economical.
Another object of the invention is to provide novel actuators for rotary valves and combinations thereof that are operable manually.
Another object of the invention is to provide novel actuators for rotary valves that are operable remotely from the rotary valve.
A further object of the invention is to provide novel manual actuators for rotary valves and combinations thereof that are useable to override motor driven actuators.
A more particular object of the invention is to provide novel rotary valve actuators for actuating valves pivotally disposed in housings and movable between first and second positions, comprising generally an actuator member coupled to the valve, a resilient arm coupled to one of the housing or the actuator member, and a wall member protruding from the one of the housing or the actuator member to which the resilient arm is not coupled. An arm tab protruding from the resilient arm is aligned with and preferably protrudes through an opening of the wall member when the valve is in the first position, and an arm engagement member of the resilient arm is engaged with a wall engagement portion of the wall member when the valve is in the first position. The resilient arm is flexible away from the inner side of the wall member to disengage the arm engagement member from the wall engagement portion, whereby the valve is movable from the first position to the second position.
Another more particular object of the invention is to provide novel rotary valve actuators for actuating rotary fuel filler valves having a valve pivotally disposed in a housing and movable between first and second positions, comprising generally a first strap coupled to the valve and disposed about a pivot axis thereof in a first direction, a second strap coupled to the valve and disposed about the pivot axis thereof in a second direction, a resilient arm coupled to one of the housing or the valve, and a wall member coupled to the one of the housing or the valve to which the resilient arm is not coupled. An arm tab of the resilient arm protrudes through an opening of the wall member, and an arm engagement member of the resilient arm is engaged with a wall engagement portion of the wall member when the valve is in the first position. The first strap is disposed about the wall member and is engageable with the arm tab to disengage the arm engagement member from the wall engagement portion, whereby the valve is pivotable from the first position to the second position.
These and other objects, aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more filly apparent upon careful consideration of the following Detailed Description of the Invention and the accompanying Drawings, which may be disproportionate for ease of understanding, wherein like structure and steps are referenced generally by corresponding numerals and indicators.